Desperate and Dateless
by no milk left
Summary: A short story about Stevie and Alex, way back in series 4.
1. Chapter 1

**Desperate and dateless**  
**A series 4 story**

She saw his eyes transfixed on the blonde's behind as her friend walked away after bringing them another beer. Jodi's short red dress was surely getting his attention, or more what lay underneath; showing off her legs. Stevie clinked her bottle of beer against his, trying to get him in the world of his reality; obviously desperate and dateless.

He turned his gaze towards her, slow, like not willing to let go of the fine sight on his right. Amused Stevie showed him a smile; 'you're right there mate?'

'Wah?', he mumbled in return, lifting his bottle of beer to his lips.

She shook her head, glancing down to her beer, touching it with her index finger, following its circle. 'Didn't know Jodi was your cup of tea'. Stevie looked back up, seeing how he swallowed and frowned at her. Just like she had said the most weird thing ever, or that so far he hadn't actually realized it.

'Oh come on Steves, I mean Jodi is a pretty girl, but she's like my little baby sister, or well girl next door.'

'Maybe till now', her eyes suggestively staring at him she took a swig from her beer. Alex still frowned, his eyes now falling onto her mouth circling around the bottle. He quickly gazed away, taking another swig of beer to wash away his thoughts. He felt desperate at this very moment, for even checking out Jodi. But it had been a long time, over a year since Claire had died and apart from the stolen kiss he and Tracey had shared months back, he hadn't touched a woman. That wasn't anything like Alex Ryan, at all. But it had cut deep. Deep enough to not even dare to take a chance.

She watched him as he gazed into the distance, nothing much more than darkness surrounding them on the improvised party spot. Studying him now she wondered what was going on in his mind. 'Well, I'm glad we didn't make it to the ball. It's probably pathetic, everyone looking so desperately for love, or whatever they are looking for. I bet half of the guys are creeps anyway.'

Alex turned his head shortly, looking down to her. He shrugged his shoulders as he gazed back into the distance; 'who know who would have been there.' He took another swig, and she wondered if he really thought you could meet the right one at such parties.

'Oh come on', she pushed against his arm; 'you don't really think you could find someone there with whom you really could end up in something serious right?'

'Why not? We're going', he answered shortly after swallowing the yellow liquid down his throat.

Unsure Stevie now felt her feet uneasy moving on her heels; 'maybe, if you put it like that', she muttered, now staring down in wonder why her feet were suddenly so restless. She licked her lips and took in a deep breath. For a moment Tess and Nick still dancing together had caught her eye. 'So you're up for something serious?', she asked.

Again he shrugged his shoulders; 'dunno, but you have to get back in the saddle one day right?' Luckily Alex looked at her again, she was waiting for it. His eyes showed more emotion than the smile he was showing weakly on his lips.

'Yeah', she quietly answered. 'I guess it wouldn't be bad to have something like that'. Stevie quickly took sight of Tess and Nick again. Whatever had happened between them, it was so obvious they belonged together. They were meant to be. Everyone could see.

'It would be nice if those two would get their heads together for once, life is too short to play games', he suddenly mumbled, even surprising himself. He had never been dirty of playing games. But now life had changed and the fact it suddenly felt like a huge step to start something serious, to even start dating was suddenly tormenting his mind. 'What about you?', he suddenly asked; 'apart from that Wiener Schnitzel of an ex husband of yours, nothing serious?'

She smiled, her fingers playing with her bottle as she gazed down. A cynical laugh escaped her mouth. 'I guess I suck when it comes to relationships, thinking of it not just relationships.' Her tongue strolled quickly over her teeth. She felt his side brush against her.

'Don't be too hard on yourself Steves'.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

She needed to smile to the small gesture, the few words. Rolling up her eyes, finding support in the cool air she blinked. 'Nah, I tried to sell opals on the black market today, just cause I think thát suddenly will change the past. What an idiot am I? Like a bit of money will suddenly make me worth being a mother to Rose.'

Alex had blinked, and looked at her. He remembered that small bit of talk after Jarred had left, sitting on the edge of the veranda of the Shearer's quarters when he had asked about Rose. Her explanation had been short, obviously she hadn't felt much like talking about that aspect just after breaking up with Jarred again. And he had let her. The only thing he knew was that Rose was her daughter and that she already had been a mum before he had met Stevie for the first time. Which had been a weird thing to realize, picturing her when he had first met her. A small little redhead, 16, tough as hell already on the rodeo. But a mother, she had only been a kid herself. It had been one of her screw ups so Rose ended up living with Stevie's sister Michelle. For the better, she had told him.

Since that day, a few months ago, he had waited for her explanation. The moment she would feel ready to share it with him.

'Well you are her mother after all', he quietly spoke, suddenly unsure what to say to her.

Stevie looked at him, fighting away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. 'She doesn't know. She thinks Michelle is her mother. I wish I could tell her, but what do I have to offer?', she muttered. Glancing way up to the sky hoping it would make her able to hold those damn tears in.

'I think you've got a lot to offer Stevie', Alex suddenly replied, swallowing as he could feel her emotion.

'Not enough', she had answered. 'I better get us some chips'. Stevie had walked away, quicker than he could respond to her words. He took another swig, wondering why life was sometimes such a bitch.

She returned, moments later, with nothing. 'Gone', Stevie spoke, referring to the empty bag of chips she had found minutes ago. 'When it comes to that, that ball wouldn't have been bad. I reckon we're through our stash of beer soon too.'

'No worries, no need to get all drunk anyway', he answered.

'Yeah like no need to get drunk to make those ugly guys look any better', Stevie chuckled. Alex had to grin, shaking his head. He took in his last amount of beer. 'Not like it makes my dancing any better either.'

'I can tell you Stevie, guys don't mind much about a girl's dancing, surely when we can't dance ourselves', Alex spoke.

'Oh and that's why there are like those dance strip clubs, which make guys spill all their money', she chuckled daring at him.

'That's something different. That's just a perving way, not when it comes to what guys really like about women. I mean of course the way hotter body, but to actually live with them. It asks for more', he said wisely, which made her grin impressed. Curious what exactly.

'Like?'

'Fun, sweet, caring, you know. I guess that's what you girls all want to find in a man anyway.'

'Apart from the hot bod, I guess so', Stevie snickered. 'They should sticker such guys, so we won't fall for the bad.'

'Stickered all over', he said with a smirk, pointing his empty bottle of beer to his chest. She gave him an amused studying look.

'Don't even see one', she chuckled pushing her lower arm above his hip; 'nah you're a pretty okay guy. At least when you're really smitten.'

'Well thanks Stevie', he replied funny, pretending to be half hurt with the fact she had told him he most of the time wasn't an okay guy when it came to women. But she smiled at him and he knew she was honest and meant the fact he could be a great guy.

Stevie knew she was right. Probably more than anyone else she knew how Alex could be; how crazy he could be about a girl he really loved and how heart broken when things didn't turn out the way he had hoped for. One day he would make some girl really happy, one day when he was ready.

'The next guy you fall for I will surely try to spot stickers on him, otherwise he's dead meat', Alex grinned.

She smiled thankfully at him. His funny words being rather sweet. 'Anyway, wanna try to share a funny dance to this funky music.

'Oh yeah, Ring of Fire is one hell of a funky song', he chuckled, following her to the 'dancefloor'.

_Love Is A Burning Thing  
And It Makes A Fiery Ring  
Bound By Wild Desire  
I Fell Into A Ring Of Fire_

{The End}


End file.
